Spacecraft Key To ESA's Mission To Study The Earth's Magnetic Field
The first of the three Astrium-built Swarm research satellites is on its way to the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. An Ilyushin-76, headed for Russia, took off from Munich Airport this morning. The remaining two satellites, plus the test and installation equipment, will follow at two-day intervals, amounting to a total of 63 metric tons of freight.